Jaleen Smith expected to obtain Croatian passport and play in EuroBasket / News - Basketnews.com

Credit: imago images/Andreas Gora-Scanpix Credit imago images/Andreas Gora-Scanpix

After a fiasco in the 2023 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers, the Croatian national team is set to be reshaped.

Jaleen Smith

MIN:21.04PTS:8.3 (41.83%)REB:2.21As:2.3ST:0.79BL:0.06TO:1.55GM:33ProfileEuroLeague2021/2022

According to Croatian news outlet Dubrovacki vjesnik, ALBA Berlin's American guard Jaleen Smith is set to obtain Croatian citizenship and help the team in the upcoming EuroBasket.

Following the failure to qualify for the Second Round of the World Cup Qualifiers, the Expert Council for Men's Basketball headed by Dino Radja was dismissed. The Croatian Federation looked for desperate measures to bring the country back on the European basketball map.

Radja is reportedly against any foreign players coming to the national team, the news outlet claims.

Croatia will play in Group C of the EuroBasket 2022 together with Greece, Estonia, Ukraine, Great Britain, and Italy.

Smith averaged 8.3 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 2.3 assists for 6.6 PIR for ALBA in the EuroLeague last season.

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